Katie Waissel and Cher Lloyd last night insisted their true talent will shine through in tomorrow's X Factor as they try to restore their reputation in the wake of Gamugate.

Katie Waissel and Cher Lloyd last night insisted their true talent will shine through in tomorrow's X Factor as they try to restore their reputation in the wake of Gamugate.

Millions of fans were fuming after Cheryl Cole put the pair through to the final despite their blundering displays last week while axing the faultless Gamu Nhengu.

But Katie, who bore the brunt of the anger, promised to deliver a polished performance in a bid to win over those who believed the Zimbabwean was robbed.

The defiant 24-year-old said: "Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but if anything it has inspired me to show the public this weekend why I am here.

"I have been working really hard. I want to show I can do it. I want to make Cheryl proud. Hopefully people will be like, 'Wow, she really deserves to be here.'" And 17-year-old Cher, who quit in tears with a sore throat at her abysmal judge's house audition, added: "We are fighters and I am ready to fight, what is the worst someone can do? They can't shoot me, they can't take my voice away.

"Hopefully come Saturday, people will think, 'She has picked herself back up.' Off stage, I am very nervous, but once I step on stage I click."

Katie and Cher went through with Rebecca Ferguson, 24 - the one X Factor star all agreed should be at the final. The trio revealed Cheryl has not been in contact with them since Sunday's show, which ended with 700 complaints to ITV.

Cheryl claimed she was ordered to axe 18-year-old Gamu over fears her UK visa was not going to be renewed.

The 27-year-old judge wants show bosses to come clean about what really happened, live on air. She told them: "You need to tell the truth. We need to sort out this out or it will overshadow the whole series." But Simon Cowell has insisted Cheryl made the decision alone.

A production source said: "She knows it's unlikely Simon would be willing to admit on air that Gamu's visa problems were the real reason for her going.

"But she wants the matter to be addressed in some way and for Simon to take some of the heat off her.

"The whole thing has blown up out of proportion and she's been left hung out to dry. Saturday's show could be the first step in her reputation being restored."

Simon has vowed to help Gamu stay in Britain. She plans to appeal against a bid to deport her family from their Scottish home. He hopes to lobby ministers involved in the case. Simon, 51 yesterday, feels responsible for Gamu's visa plight being made public. A source said: "He's made it quite clear that he'll help out.

"He's aware how her and her family have settled in Scotland and how it will be deeply upsetting for to leave everyone behind."

And last night, Gamu's pastor John Locke said: "The family are very upset and distressed about this."